Her Story
About Brittany
Brittany Haley serves as Corporate Director of Life Engagement in the senior living field, a position she has held after progressing through various roles over her nearing 16-year career. She began as an activity assistant in skilled nursing for a period before being promoted to Life Enrichment Director at the facility. She served nine years total at the facility. After a move prompted by her fiance's job transfer, her focus shifted to assisted living with an emphasis on memory care and dementia care. She later took on a regional role and then advanced to her current corporate position. Brittany is a Certified Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer through the NCCDP, enabling her to lead eight-hour dementia training classes, and she is a member of the National Association of Activity Professionals. In her role, she has educated more than 150 department directors and floor staff across multiple states through both in-person and virtual trainings. She attributes her success to the support and guidance of colleagues, her fiance, and family, as well as her willingness to ask for help when needed. Brittany values compassion and empathy above all, qualities she carries from her personal life into her professional work, and she advises others to work hard, set goals, and seek growth opportunities in the stable field of senior living.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brittany
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to support and guidance from wonderful colleagues, my fiance, and my family over the past 16 years. I can't take full credit because there have been moments of self-doubt, especially when I first took this position, but my ability to ask for help and the amazing support system has been key. My fiance has been an amazing support system.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to work as hard as you can towards your goals because the hard work is what really gets you there. On stressful days my dad always says head up, shoulders back, not all of your days are going to be easy, but just to work hard and set your goals and shoot for the stars. While I did not complete a college degree, my years of hands-on experience, continued learning, and professional growth have provided me with the knowledge and leadership skills that have allowed me to advance in my career. Perseverance is key.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that although at times it can be challenging, it is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a profession to care for other individuals. My advice would be to just work hard and continue, accept constructive criticism, and be able to ask for help. There are so many growth opportunities in senior living. It's forever growing, and it's going to continue to be a very stable career path and choice.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunities would be room for growth, always room for improvement with new technological and medical advances. I keep up to date on research and studies for different dementia solutions. The biggest challenge would be spreading education because there are so many people that just don't really understand the process especially of different forms of dementia.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Compassion and empathy are most important to me in both work and personal life. You can be taught how to do things and specific policies but compassion is not something that can be taught. It's something that you are given and I attribute that to my parents especially. Those are what I carry with me through work and through life, to just be a good, compassionate person and to have empathy because you never know what another person is going through.
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